Location Reports Greater Wilmington, Delaware
She also points out that shopping, dining and entertainment are tax-free in Delaware. “This creates an immediate return on investment for meeting plan- ners. It’s also a powerful lure to attendees when they realize the savings they can achieve. There’s no tax on meeting rooms and our hotel tax is substantially less than surrounding areas.”
• WHAT’S NEW
There are lots of new developments in the Greater Wilmington, DE Area:
World Cafe Live at the Queen opened in Downtown Wilmington in April. The for- mer movie theatre, that lay dormant on Market Street for fifty years, has been totally restored to its original glory and now functions as a spectacular venue for live entertainment that criss-crosses the entire musical spectrum.
It is an extension of Philadelphia-based performance venue, World Cafe Live. The Queen Theatre’s magnificent two- tiered performance area easily accom- modates 200 seated and 500 standing. In addition, the Queen houses an upscale 160-seat restaurant and separate meet- ing space. Its Olympia Room provides flexible seating for 120 attendees and features oversized windows overlooking the trendy LOMA District.
A second private meeting space soon will be added, as well. The Queen Theatre is rapidly becoming a prime choice for con- ferences, corporate meetings, weddings, fundraisers and galas. State-of-the-art sound and audio-visual systems through- out allow clients to incorporate technical amenities into their events.
Sheraton Wilmington South opened in December. The $24 million hotel property is located in New Castle, DE immediately off I-95 and just south of the city of Wilmington. The hotel features 192 spa- cious guestrooms, primarily suites, with separate living and sleeping quarters.
The hotel offers more than 9,000 square feet of ballroom and meeting space and is conveniently located midway between NYC and DC.
52 March April 2012
Cantwell’s Tavern and Restaurant opened in December in Historic Odessa’s Brick Hotel. Located just 30 minutes south of Wilmington, Historic Odessa seems untouched by time and features some of the finest examples of the coun- try’s 18th- and 19th-century architecture and lifestyles.
Five of the town’s most unique properties are known collectively as the Historic Houses of Odessa. They are operated by the Historic Odessa Foundation and include: Corbit-Sharp House (c. 1774), Wilson-Warner House (c. 1769), Collins- Sharp House (c . 1700), the Brick Hotel (c. 1822) and the Odessa Bank (c. 1853).
What distinguishes these properties is the accuracy of their period rooms and furnishings, many of which were crafted by prominent 18th and 19th century Delawarean cabinetmakers, silversmiths and artists. The exceptional collection of regional decorative arts on display inside the houses features many original pieces of family furniture, paintings, prints, tex- tiles, silver and pewter spanning the peri- od from 1760 through 1850.
Visitors enjoy guided house tours, open hearth cooking demonstrations, special exhibits and living history programs.
With the opening of Cantwell’s Tavern, the 189 year-old Brick Hotel has once again resumed its role as the town’s social center. This farm-to-table gastro- pub is operated by noted Delaware restaurateur, Robert E. Ashby, and man- aged by his son, Marc. The 8,000 square foot facility seats 60+ on the first floor and 50 on the second. During the warmer months, an outdoor dining patio/bar seats over 50.
Cantwell’s Tavern functions as an upscale restaurant and event venue; the ambiance and furnishings of a National Historic Landmark site are additional bonuses.
Columbus Inn on Pennsylvania Avenue in Wilmington has reopened under new management. Closed since 2007, the ever popular inn is once again open for lunch, dinner and brunch on Sundays.
Housed in a colonial building whose orig- inal section dates back to 1789, the 175- seat restaurant has been totally renovat- ed. It also features two private rooms that can accommodate 100 attendees. A convenient location and on site parking make the inn a popular for meetings.
• SPECIAL INITIATIVES
Greater Wilmington Convention and Visitors Bureau offers a Transportation Incentive to groups or planners booking a minimum of 100 room nights in a mem- ber hotel in New Castle County. A total of $20,000 is available on a first come, first serve basis. More information about this Transportation Incentive can be found at
www.visitwilmingtonde.com.
Brandywine Museum & Gardens Alliance will offer a Passport Program good for one-time admission to each of 11 area attractions. The Passport is valid from May 26 through September 3, 2012.
Both Individual and Family Tickets are available. Individual Passport Tickets are $35; Family Passport Tickets for $75 are good for two adults and three children.
Participating attractions are: Brandywine River Museum, Delaware Art Museum, Delaware Center for the Contemporary Arts, Delaware Historical Society and Read House, Delaware Museum of Natural History, Hagley Museum and Library, Longwood Gardens, Mt. Cuba Center, Nemours Mansion and Gardens, Rockwood Mansion and Park, and the Winterthur Museum, Gardens and Library. Tickets can be purchased at any of these attractions or online via the Greater Wilmington Convention and Visitors Bureau website.
• PLACES TO MEET
The Chase Center on the Riverfront is the Greater Wilmington area’s largest con- vention center. It can accommodate 1,600 attendees and offers 88,000 square feet of flexible meeting space.
The Hotel du Pont blends old world, European-style charm with modern amenities and has 30,000 square feet of
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